rotary

Smart interface design makes exploring traditional modulation tones and deeply tweaked sounds an intuitive joy.

Gazillions of possible modulation tones from trad’ to bizarre. Well-designed interface. Rich basic sounds. Easy to use in conventional settings.

Some study required to maximize pedal potential. Some weirder lo-fi sounds betray digital artifacts.

$349

Walrus Audio Mako M1
walrusaudio.com

4.5
4.5
4
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Depending on your appetite for adventure, the Walrus Audio M1 modulation machine can look like a thrill ride or a very nasty little thing. The knobs and switches—as well as the graphics and text that describe their function—are packed like sardines onto the face of the pedal. And depending on your settings, the two bright LEDs can pulse like an entire Fillmore liquid light show stuffed into two little fish eyes.

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Mooer packs ridiculous modulation power into a pint-sized multi-stomp.

Thanks to their quality sounds, pedalboard-friendly size, and even more wallet-friendly price tags, Mooer’s line of miniature effects are popping up on pedalboards and in effusive YouTube reviews the world over. With the release of the Twin Series of multi-effects, which includes the Mod Factory Pro reviewed here, Mooer seems to be upping their already-successful game quite dramatically. Crammed with a truckload of tone-shaping effects and well-thought-out controls, the Twin Series Mod Factory Pro is ensuring the Mooer buzz is safe from ever quieting.

Strong First Impressions
When I first pulled the Mod Factory Pro from its well-protected box, all I could think about was how adorable this green pint-sized powerhouse is. Somehow, Mooer crammed six knobs, one toggle, two footswitches, and a preset store button onto a pedal that’s smaller than my hand, with a price that’s smaller still. Take into account the Mod Factory Pro’s heavy-duty construction and it’s astounding how much pedal Mooer delivers at a price well under $200—even after tax.

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Dig those head-spinning tones? Here’s a step-by-step guide for making your own Leslie-inspired cabinet.

The Leslie speaker was originally designed and voiced for the Hammond organ, and almost no Hammond organist worth his salt will be seen traveling or playing without one. We associate the sound of the Leslie with the Hammond so much that when plugging a guitar into a Leslie, a listening layman would most likely say, “Wow! Your guitar kinda sounds like an organ!” The frequencies of the speakers and the design of the cabinet were geared for the Hammond organ, so while plugging a guitar into it sounds really beautiful, it makes the guitar take on organ-like characteristics. This has been used to great effect by many guitarists throughout the years.

The Leslie appears on classic tracks by Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, George Harrison, and countless others who used the seductive sounds of spinning speakers to add a unique touch to their tracks. Check out “Cold Shot” by Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Max’s Tune” by the Jeff Beck Group, and “Any Colour You Like” (Wembley 1974) by Pink Floyd for some excellent examples of rotary-speaker guitar tones.

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